It will be hard for 2009 Waynesboro High School graduate Terrell Thompson to duplicate his baseball milestones in 2026, since the 2025 calendar was filled with some memorable moments.
In March, as the third-base coach for The Miller School, he waved in the winning run in a 1-0 victory in nine innings at James Madison High School in Vienna in what some observers called a classic non-district high school game that was broadcast by Perfect Game.
Then in July, the former WHS baseball standout was in Cooperstown as Billy Wagner, the Marion native and head coach at The Miller School, was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. The former lefty reliever, who had 422 saves in the majors, became the sixth Virginia native to be honored. Thompson received his own accolades in early December, as he was named one of the top assistant high school coaches in the country during the National High School Baseball Coaches Association convention on Sanibel Island near Fort Myers, Florida.
“They have other assistants that they honored,” Thompson, 34, said in a phone interview. “It is formed into eight regions but we all got named as NHSBCA assistant coach of the year.”
Thompson was part of the coaching staff with the Waynesboro Generals in 2023 when Alex McCoy broke the VBL record for steals that was held by Juan Pierre, who played for the Harrisonburg Turks before swiping 614 bags in the Majors from 2000 to 2013.
McCoy played in college at Maryland-Eastern Shore and Hofstra and in the minors for the San Diego Padres in 2025, reaching the Single-A level in the California League.
The Miller School assistant is one of just a handful of Waynesboro High graduates to play pro baseball, as he saw time in the independent Empire League and briefly in the Can-Am League. He joined former Major League pitcher Reggie Harris (1990-1999 with several clubs) and former ODU pitcher Hal Walck, who played in the minors for the Chicago Cubs in the early 1980s after also pitching for Harrisonburg American Legion Post 27 and the Monarchs.
Thompson attended Patrick Henry Junior College and finished his college career at the University of Texas Permian Basin.
Interview
AFP caught up with Thompson to talk about his memorable year.
AFP: Who attended the national conference in Florida and what did it mean to you to gain the honor?
TT: The Miller School was represented by just two of us — Billy, myself, and my wife Megan. Being recognized as one of the National Assistant Baseball Coaches of the Year is extremely humbling. It’s an honor to be named alongside so many great coaches across the country. To me, the award reflects the players I’ve coached, the staff I work with, and the culture we’ve built together — it’s never about one person. It also validates the work that often happens behind the scenes as an assistant coach — preparation, development, relationships, and supporting the head coach in any way possible. I’m grateful for the trust placed in me and proud to represent Miller School on a national level.
AFP: What has it been to like to work with Wagner, a standout at Ferrum who was among those that nominated you for the assistant award?
TT: His leadership is second to none, and he has a unique way of bringing the best out of everyone around him. What really separates him is that he’s not just teaching baseball — he’s teaching young men how to carry themselves, how to be accountable, and how to grow as people.
AFP: What was it like to be part of the ceremonies in Cooperstown last summer?
TT: Going to Cooperstown for the Hall of Fame induction of someone you coach with is hard to put into words. You grow up seeing Cooperstown as the ultimate place in baseball, and then you’re standing there supporting someone you work alongside every day. Coaching with a Hall of Famer like Billy Wagner gives you a different perspective on greatness. What stands out most is that his impact goes far beyond what he did on the field. Seeing him honored in Cooperstown while knowing the kind of mentor and leader he is today made the experience even more meaningful. It’s something I’ll never forget.
AFP: What years did you play in the Rockingham County Baseball League? What coach did you play for in high school?
TT: I’ve been around baseball for as long as I can remember — I started playing the game at five years old and graduated from Waynesboro High School, coached by Jim Critzer — also a former Valley League Generals owner. My background in baseball goes back a long way, both as a player and now as a coach. I spent many years playing in the Rockingham County Baseball League and the Valley Baseball League. I began my RCBL career with Clover Hill from 2006 to 2008 while still in high school and was part of the 2007 and 2008 championship team coached by RCBL Hall of Famer Mike Martin. After my first year of college baseball, I spent the summer of 2010 competing in the Valley Baseball League for the Waynesboro Generals. During my junior and senior summers of college, I played for the Stuarts Draft Diamondbacks. In 2015, I signed an independent pro baseball contract. I returned to the Diamondbacks in 2017 and won the Home Run Derby that season, then continued playing independent baseball through 2019. I finished my playing career with the Diamondbacks from 2020 to 2022 before officially hanging up the cleats. In 2023, I fully transitioned into coaching, including coaching in the Valley Baseball League. I’ve been on staff at Miller School since the fall of 2019.
AFP: What did you learn from playing pro ball?
TT: What I learned most from playing pro ball is how important consistency and preparation really are. At that level, everyone is talented — the difference is who shows up ready every single day, handles failure, and keeps working when things don’t go their way. Pro ball teaches you humility, resilience, and accountability in a hurry. As a coach, I’ve learned that relationships matter just as much as mechanics. Players respond when they know you genuinely care about them as people. Coaching has shown me that development isn’t one-size-fits-all — every player needs something different, whether it’s confidence, clarity, or a challenge. The biggest lesson connecting both is that success comes from doing the small things right every day. Whether you’re playing or coaching, growth happens through habits, trust, and a willingness to keep learning.